New Delhi: Amidst rising outrage over reports that Pakistan had blacked out Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s speech at the SAARC summit held in Islamabad on Thursday, government sources have now revealed that there was no black out.
“With reference to Home Minister's meeting in Islamabad earlier today, media reports of a 'blackout' of our Home Minister's statement are misleading. It is the standard SAARC practice that the opening statement by the host country is public and open to the media,” said government sources.
Read: ‘One nation’s terrorist can’t be martyr for another,’ Rajnath tells Pakistan
According to sources, the entire proceedings of the SAARC conference were on camera and there was a ‘full and frank discussion of issues’.
The only broadcaster allowed inside the venue was state-owned Pakistan Television, reports said.
In a terse message to Pakistan, Rajnath Singh had said there should be no glorification of terrorists as martyrs and also called for "strongest action" against nations supporting terrorism at the summit.
Without mincing any words, Singh had said mere condemnation of terrorism and terrorists is not enough.
Read: Full text of Rajnath Singh’s speech at SAARC summit Pakistan
Singh's comments in his speech came against the backdrop of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's praise of Burhan Wani who was killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir on July 8 and his description of Hizbul Mujahideen commander as a martyr, much to India’s ire.
"There should be no glorification or eulogising of terrorists as martyrs. There are no good terrorists or bad terrorists," Singh said.
The Home Minister also said there should be "strongest action" not only against terrorists or organisations but also against those individuals, organisations and nations who support terrorism.
